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Released in 1969

All Together Now

Written by Lennon - McCartney

Last updated on May 12, 2024

Album This song officially appears on the Yellow Submarine (Mono) LP.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1969

Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 1967, when Paul McCartney was 25 years old)

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Related articles

When [the Music Hall performers] were singing a song, to encourage the audience to join in, they’d say, ‘All together now,’ so I just took it and read another meaning into it, of we are all together now. So, I used the dual meaning. It’s really a children’s song.

Paul McCartney – From “Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now” by Barry Miles, 1997

From Wikipedia:

“All Together Now” is a song by the English rock band the Beatles written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song was recorded during the band’s Magical Mystery Tour period, but remained unreleased until it was included on the Yellow Submarine soundtrack. It was released as a single in 1972 in European countries such as France and Germany, backed by “Hey Bulldog“.

Background

McCartney described the song as a children’s sing-along with the title phrase inspired by the music hall tradition of asking the audience to join in. He also described a “subcurrent” in the song, a dual-meaning where “we are all together now.” According to music critic Tom Maginnis of AllMusic, McCartney created the song “to match the same light-hearted spirit” of “Yellow Submarine“.

Recording

The track was recorded on 12 May 1967 at EMI Studios and mixed the same day, but was not released until 13 January 1969, when it appeared on the soundtrack album. George Martin was absent from this session, leaving recording engineer Geoff Emerick in charge of the control room. The song took less than six hours to record and was recorded in nine takes, the last of which was selected for overdubs. […]

Appearances and performances

“All Together Now” appears in an animated sequence in the film Yellow Submarine, and is also introduced by the Beatles themselves in a final live-action scene of the film. During the latter scene, translations of “All Together Now” into various languages appear written on-screen.

Paul McCartney performed the song live for the first time by any Beatle on 4 May 2013 at the Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He subsequently played it throughout his 2013–15 Out There tour. […]

It’s really a children’s song. I had a few young relatives and I would sing songs for them. I used to do a song for kids called Jumping Round The Room, very similar to All Together Now, and then it would be ‘lying on your backs’, all the kids would have to lie down, then it would be ‘skipping round the room’, ‘jumping in the air’. It’s a play away command song for children. It would be in G, very very simple chords, only a couple of chords, so that’s what this is. There’s a little subcurrent to it but it’s just a singalong really. A bit of a throwaway.

Paul McCartney – From “Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now” by Barry Miles, 1997

We had to do some songs that were exclusive to the [Yellow Submarine] film. I don’t think we were too keen because we were quite busy recording other things and we probably wanted a bit of time off.

Paul McCartney – From MOJO, October 1999

There was a commitment for The Beatles to do four songs for the film. Apparently, they would say this is a lousy song, let’s give it to Brodax.

Al Brodax – Film director for “Yellow Submarine” – From MOJO, October 1999

From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:

[a] stereo 29 Oct 1968.
UK: Apple PCS 7070 Yellow Submarine 1969.
US: Apple SW 153 Yellow Submarine 1969.
CD: EMI CDP 7 46445 2 Yellow Submarine 1987.

[a1] mono made from [a] 1968.
UK: Apple PMC 7070 Yellow Submarine 1969.

A mono mix made 12 May 1967 was used only in the original Yellow Submarine film print.

Lyrics

One two three four

Can I have a little more

Five six seven eight nine ten

I love you

A B C D

Can I bring my friend to tea

E F G H I J

I love you

Bom bom bom bompa bom

Sail the ship Bompa bom

Chop the tree bompa bom

Skip the rope bompa bom

Look at me

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

Black white green red

Can I take my friend to bed

Pink brown yellow orange and blue

I love you

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

Bom bom bom bompa bom

Sail the ship Bompa bom

Chop the tree bompa bom

Skip the rope bompa bom

Look at me

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

All together now

Variations

Officially appears on

Bootlegs

See all bootlegs containing “All Together Now”

Videos

Concert May 04, 2013 in Belo Horizonte

Live performances

“All Together Now” has been played in 90 concerts and 1 soundchecks.

Latest concerts where “All Together Now” has been played

See all concerts where “All Together Now” has been played

Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

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